In recent months the media has been overwhelmed with coverage of celebrities who have made racist comments about minorities. This causes a cycle where the celebrities publicly apologize and then head off to the nearest rehab center to wash away their wrongful ways.

Understandably, people say ignorant things at the worst times possible. They mistakenly speak before they think it all the way through first.

But when that thinking process is actually filtered through a series of people hired for that exact purpose, there is no reason for it to happen. Or, so it seems.

Except it did happen.

San Francisco based AsianWeek, a highly regarded Asian community newspaper, published a column entitled “Why I hate black people.” The article may have gone unnoticed to the general public, but the larger newspapers outed them and made the incident public. This eventually resulted in the firing of the columnist and an apology from the editor of AsianWeek.

The question is whether or not the larger papers were in the wrong by exposing AsianWeek for the bigoted column.

No matter how that question is answered, one of the main objectives of the news media is to be a watchdog for the people and inform them of what is happening in their own neighborhoods.

There is no room in today’s society and media for bigotry to fall through the cracks and get published. The fact that this column got through the editors and into the paper is absolutely unacceptable.

Have you heard the garbage played on terrestrial radio these days? It’s horrible. Recycled songs that are unoriginal and lack any kind of significant lyrical content. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand listening to the same 15 songs all day and every day either.

Even if you tune in to talk radio you will be lucky to hear a segment without the “dump button” being pushed. You know, the button that puts a 10-second delay to censor derogatory words or racy talk. I personally don’t like what I listen to on the radio to be censored. I don’t mind controversial topics and cuss words — I’m not a conservative.

With the Federal Communications Commission censoring talk shows and issuing massive fines, talented radio personalities are being driven away from terrestrial radio to satellite radio. Personalities like Howard Stern and Opie & Anthony are thriving on Sirius and XM where they don’t have to worry about censorship and they have taken their dedicated fan base with them.

You say you don’t want to pay for radio? Well, if you’re a person who loves music like me and are fed up with “corporate radio”, $12 a month isn’t too bad. Stop buying lattes and it's affordable.

If you listen to regular radio then you’re basically listening to what the major labels are paying to be put it into heavy rotation. Satellite radio is innovative, and there is something for everyone. Plus, new and original music always gets exposure.

XM and Sirius recently announced their plan to merge, forming the premier satellite radio service. At the end of 2006 the satellite stations boasted some 13 million subscribers between them. Get ready for the radio revolution.

The days of coddling 21-year-olds and the underage who stick the key in the ignition after throwing back some Hennessey, Jack Daniels or a few Coronas are over. California state law has changed.

California Vehicle Code Sections 23152(a) and 23152(b) now state that if an underage driver is found to have a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of .08 or higher, they will be jailed. If convicted, they will suffer the same penalties as adults. This includes possible jail time.

Should teenagers who may not have all the wisdom of someone older be punished equally?

California says, “Yes.”

Before chugging a few brews teenagers don't think, “Wow, I might have a criminal record at the age of 19 if I drive myself home when the party is over.” It doesn’t happen. I’m 20 and I have never thought that. If a teenager is going to mess up, the smart ones will only do it once. And when they cannot drive for a year because of a mistake, I can assure you they won’t do it again — the smart ones, that is. I believe there should be one Get Out of Jail Free card. Not scot-free, but just not as harsh as this new state law.

Don’t drink and drive. If after the party you don’t have anyone to call, stop drinking and get a cab. If you do drive, you risk not only your life but the lives of others.

A criminal record is not something to covet when you’re 21 or younger.

With the emergence of satellite and internet radio, do you feel regular (AM/FM) radio is dead?
Alex Peer “Internet radio has affected how much I listen to regular radio. However, if I'm in the car I still turn it on. So, I guess it's on the way out, but not dead yet."

Chris Lake “No, a lot of people can't afford satellite radio. I rarely get to listen to a lot of regular radio. Then again, I still listen to tapes."

David Loufas
“Not really. R&B and hip-hop are still big in FM radio. Especially local Bay Area hip-hop. Not a lot of that is on Satellite radio. But I do have Sirius."

Jessica Sharpe “Yes I do. I think all electronic devices are killing the earth, We should go back to record players."

John Sosa “I think it is dying. Regular radio seems to always just play in cycles. The satellite radios will be standard in cars."

Vivi Nguyen “No, I kind of still feel it connects us to the world, like with information or with specific stations. Like with Chinese radio stations, especially here in the city, provide a lot of information that satellite doesn't offer, I think."

NEECE'S PIECES

BY ANNYSE ACEVEDO
Editor

I have always considered myself to be my worst critic, never really satisfied with my achievements or the outcomes of my hard work, thinking that I could have always done something different to make it just a little bit better.

But, boy was I wrong.

Write yourself a column, and you will definitely find someone who is willing and happy to be harder on you than yourself.

Yet, in a sick and twisted way, I enjoy what is being said or criticized. Unlike my own personal critiques, I take most criticism as a compliment.

The best compliment I have received while writing “Neece’s Pieces” (other than the suggestion of me going into rehab) has had to have been, “she’s no Herb Caen, but she’ll do.”

A fellow editor asked me if I was offended by that remark. My response: “Hell no! I was just compared to Herb Caen.”

When I first started writing this column, I was told to try to keep it based on City College so the readers would be interested in reading it. But being that I am super anti-social, I didn’t find any interesting topics to write about.

So, instead, I gave you bits and pieces of who I am.

Now that it is slowly coming to an end, I am going to have to pick up those pieces and put myself back together. Hopefully this time, I will be a new person -- a little less anti-social, a little more cautious when it comes to those drunken texts and a little less blunt. Well, maybe not a little less blunt, but you get my point.